Well, we are still chugging along here at the Heart and Mind Academy!  I would say things are going routinely, but that has not been the case yet, which, I guess, is one of the key things about homeschooling...flexibility! (well, almost....co-op does require some sort of regularity...!
 
We have found some time to enjoy a few park days...but not many.  Hopefully with the cooler weather coming, we can figure out how to do more of that!  We had a great Museum Day this month.  One of Cameron's classes was on "The Food of the Ancient Civilizations" ( the other class was on the eye, complete with dissection).  Cameron got to make and taste some of the foods we had read about in our history lessons (he said the cheese was gross).  Then our IMAX (in 3D this time) was Ancient Egyptian Mummies.  Again, tying in with our history class very nicely! (I like it when that happens...)

We had a small field trip to the zoo to observe bears.  They mostly slept.  Grizzly bears have very long claws!  Isaac especially enjoyed the "spectacled bears".  He love saying "spectacled bears"! 

This past weekend we went on something called the Texas Outdoor Family Event.  The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department puts on these events at various State Parks.  It is basically "camping 101" for either beginners, people like us who haven't camped in a long time, or just as a refresher course.  Since each State Park is unique, each event is unique.  We camped at Inks Lake State Park in Burnet, Texas.  Since it had been about 7 or 8 years since we had been camping, which meant Cameron was too young to remember it, and Isaac had never been, we felt this was an excellent way to introduce the boys to outdoor adventures.  The boys really enjoyed the weekend!  Cameron learned how to set up camp, cook, kayak, fish and geocache.  They also learned about night time sounds they might hear when the went to sleep.  They got to see the Milky Way for the first time (we live in Houston....not a lot of stars can get through the "light noise" of the big city).  The night sky looked like someone had thrown sparkles all over!
Isaac got very nervous around dark...asking every 5 minutes when we were going to go "home".  He spent the night clutching my hand, but he did eventually fall asleep.

This week, Xavier is off in florida till Saturday evening.  Next week, we'll go as a family to the Texas Rennaissance Festival "school days".  This has become a favorite event for us.  We meet my parents and my sister and her family there and spend the day in medieval times!

Well, another couple of weeks has flown by!  We are slowly putting out bedroom back together.  Cameron says it feels like a "new" house when he walks into our bedroom!  I'm trying to be very picky about what goes back into that room, so the decluttering process has been slow but thorough.  Next will be the living room floor.....

Schoolwork is progressing at a slow pace.  Slow and steady I guess.  The housework has fallen way behind, but that is a combination of having remodeling work done, a 20 year old back in the house, and a very very active 4 year old.  I just close my eyes and take a deep breath and think happy thoughts......  Cameron is doing better with his writing and illustrating.  He doesn't fight it as much.  Key words...as much.
Math is still torture but little steps.  He is loving tennis and is doing fairly well at it.  We have been trying to stay close to home so we don't get off track as much this year.  This seems to be working well.  Isaac is just loving life as usual.  He is really enjoying learning his alphabet, especially the sign language part.  He is also learning Beatles songs.  Not exactly part of the curriculum, but he's definitely working on his memorization skills!  We bought the Beatles Rockband and it has been a great family game.  Cameron saved money to by MarioKart and he and Isaac have been racing up a storm!  Isaac is also working on riding his bike without training wheels!

Alex is holding down his job and keeping grades up.  Great accomplishment!  Senior year goes by too fast!  Zach is working hard on losing weight the right way.  He's running regularly now.  Big accomplishments for him!


The boys are really enjoying their new CCE classes.  I am amazed at the volunteers that are there every single week!  This past Sunday, Isaac had 4!!! adults helping with his class!  They are both enjoying children's choir...something never offered at our previous parish.  With this group, too, there are always many adults helping out.  The directors really love the kids and every child...from Isaac (who isn't even officially a member yet) to the oldest kids are treated as precious gifts from God.  This past Saturday evening, they got to sing at Mass for the first time.  While Cameron has done this before at a First Friday Mass, this was the first time in this parish (which is really big!).  they will sing at a Saturday Mass every month, and in December they will sing for a Christmas Eve Mass, and then again on the Feast of the Holy Family.Their children's choir has about 40 participants ranging in age from 5 to 5th grade.  This has been so good for him. 

We have plans this month to go to the Rennaissance Festival again.  This is a field trip our family looks forward to every year. So far, we've avoided the H1N1 virus although friends of ours have been sick with it.  We are trying to keep everyone healthy!

Hopefully your schooling, whether at home or school, is going well this Fall!

Well, our bedroom is about 75% done.  Projects in this house seem to take FOREVER!  Xavier finally got the tiling done this weekend with the help of a good friend.  Nothing says "good friend" like someone willing to spend THEIR day off on their hands and knees on your floor tiling all day.....  I'm praying really hard that we get to at least start grouting this evening..... Then, another weekend for trim and doors.....then finally we might get to move our stuff back in there!!!

With the house as torn up as it is, it is simply amazing that we are able to get anything, including schoolwork done around here!  Thursday and Friday were spent (about 10 hours EACH) working on schoolwork....that STILL isn't completed!  Friday night was homecoming for Alex-his last (he's a senior). The kids and I really needed a break from the books!  Saturday, I took the boys to a Nature Fest (to get them out of the house so the tiling could go on).  We had a lot of fun, but it was WAY too hot!!  We were definitely not dressed for the weather!!  The boys got to play with armadillos, possums and other animals.  Afterwards, we went to some friends home to cool off and eat dinner while the tile set in our bedroom.  The kids had fun playing while we visited.  Alex was off at his homecoming dance. 

Yesterday, we went to church, CCE and tennis practice.  The guys finished tiling the room (yea!).  Our bedroom is the second largest room in our tiny house.  Consequently, most of the large furniture is in there....well, WAS in there....now it's spread out all over the place, including school tables!  Not sure how we are going to get any schoolwork done this week....guess what gets done, gets done.

So far, we are also blessed that we haven't been hit with the H1N1 flu.  Allergies are running rampant here, but we can deal with that stuff.  We are certainly praying for all those who have had a run in with the flu.....nasty stuff. 

We're also hoping for some cooler, more fall-like weather. 

As you can tell, things are hectic as usual here at the Heart and Mind Homeschool!  Thankfully, we have all been well except for the occasional allergy.  I have been taking the apple cider vinegar drink every morning for about 2 months, but have noticed no changes or benefits so far.  My family and I detest the smell.  I might give it one more month then it goes back into the pantry for general cooking use!

Xavier has been traveling again.  He just got back from a week in Georgia and will be making a trip to Florida next month.  Our weekends are full, full, full!  We are looking forward to going camping next month for a bit of R & R!  We have lots of home improvement projects that are on the list but finances dictate one step at a time!

Zach is doing well in his quest to lose weight and enter the Air Force.  He has been a big help here at home during the day and running/working out in the evenings.  He works all weekend and some weeknights, too. He got to go to Museum Day this week and scored big with the Terra Cotta Warrior exhibit!  Right up his alley!  He even knew the young man working the exhibit and the friend gave Zach and Cameron both the earphones/tape recorded visit set (normally $9 each) for free!  As we had a class on the Terra Cotta Warriors beforehand, Cameron and Zach really learned a lot that day.  As we were leaving the museum, I asked Cameron what was one important thing he learned that day.  His answer..." Friendship Rocks"! 

Cameron has a full plate this year.  Co-op is a VERY long day...9am to 5:30pm.  There is a lot more work involved.  He is doing his best to adjust, but weeks like this past one where Xavier is gone all week, and Museum Day then Park Day, not as much gets done.  Not sure how I feel about that right now.  One of the things we like about Homeschooling is the flexibility it gives.  Now we're back to playing catchup!  Cameron really is doing his best.  Schoolwork gets done with less whining (except for math of course), and he is doing his reading and writing with less direction and struggle.

Isaac is loving school.  He is learning the alphabet, including the ASL signs for the letters.  He is working hard on sight words.  We have hummingbirds and he loves to sit and watch them.  He is very active and his imagination soars all the time!

Alex is doing well holding down 2 jobs and keeping schoolwork up to par.  Just got progress reports and he's doing pretty good!  He works at a parish and occasionally at an entertainment facility on an as needed basis.  He hasn't had as much time for his music, but he does get in some strumming every day.  He is off this morning helping his dad cook for a retreat.

I am doing ok.  Overwhelmed seems to be my permanent state of mind, but I'm adjusting.  Tried some "natural" products for the house-dishwashing liquid and homemade laundry detergent.  I have NOT been impressed with either so far and have been asked by my family to return to our usual products.  I am agreeing with them on this one!  With having my bedroom torn up, I've been decluttering lots of things.  That has been liberating and I can't wait till my room is tiled and finished and I have my little sanctuary back!  My husband has given me charge of our weekly finances (other than bill paying).  That is a HUGE responsibility!  Making sure we have plenty of food, gas in the cars, school stuff, house hold needs and having some left over for emergencies is heavy stuff.  It requires good stewardship and balance and planning ahead!  I give this up to God and will be praying to be given good discernment in all these areas!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

The 2009-2010 School Year will be another year of letting go.  The boy that was my youngest for 7 years is a Senior in High School!  Alex has to make the most changes so far.  He went from being the baby of the family to being a middle child.  Then, from middle child, he took on the role of oldest child when both his older siblings graduated and left home.  He got a car at an age when the older two were still taxi'ed' around by mom and dad.  He is learning to support himself at an age when the older two were still totally reliant on parents.  So far, he has done an amazing job.  We still have to remember he is still young.  He will be graduating from high school at 17! 
Of all our kids so far, Alex is more "well-rounded".  I know it's due, in part to his personality, but it is also due to being put in many different roles and situations.  Alex is active in many things and wants to try many things.  The good thing is that whatever he's involved in, he gives 100% to. 
Alex has watched his two older siblings go through high school (public), graduate, and move on.  He has learned from all of this.  For as long as we've ever heard him talk about growing up, he has wanted to be a Marine.  Now, seeing his sister go through the military, and talking with her about her experiences, he has decided on a different path for now.  His older brother has gone off to the technical school (which is now a technical college) to pursue a career in computers and is now contemplating another career change/move.  We have ALWAYS told our children that God has given them gifts and talents and has a plan for them.  A four year or more college education isn't the path for everyone, no matter WHAT today's society would have us believe!  My husband and I both have Associates Degrees and my husband has been able to support us .....most of the time quite well, on just that education, plus hard work and determination ...oh and a love for what he does! 
Alex has decided on something with Mechanical Engineering and cars.  Instead of jumping into a 4 year school, he has come up with his own plan.  He wants to go to the same Technical school his dad and I went to, learn how to work on cars and get his mechanics certificate.  In 2 years he will have a marketable career!  Then he wants to transfer over to a 4 year school, and use that education he then has to work on cars and help pay for his way through school and gain valuable experience in the field.  Not bad for a teenager! 
We try hard not to "live through our kids."  We've seen that happen many times.  We parents have no business telling our kids "what" they should become!  When my husband graduated, his parents basically said...you will go to this school and take this course and get this job-as long as they were having to pay for the education.  Like a good son, that's what my husband did.  Fortunately, the course chosen for him was one he enjoyed but never would have been his first choice.  To this day my husband has regrets about not pursuing the career he desired with all his heart....record/music production. He also wanted to play in a band.  That was cut short and stifled by what someone else said he "should" do.  Again, we're fortunate that he enjoys working with electronics, but is that the career that would have been closer to his heart ? No.  Now that he's older, he's having to live some of that life on the edge.....

As a parent, it is very hard to truly "let go" of our kids.  They have been our responsibility for so long!  I think it does get easier with time (and experience) but with some kids it is harder than others.  While I know Alex will do well where ever he chooses to go and no matter what he chooses to do, it is still hard sometimes to say-well son, it is YOUR life....how can I help and support you?  That is what God wants of us parents at that point!  The bible says to "train up a child in the way he should go".....that IS our job....not hold their hands forever!  Cutting the apron strings (as my kids like to put it), is harder for me than it is for my kids!!!  Just yesterday we had a discussion about Homecoming.  Alex is pretty ambivalent towards it....I on the other hand am going nuts...it's his SENIOR year for goodness sake.....of course he has to go to Homecoming! LOL!!! My husband just chuckles at me......"let him go" my husband says.
Easier said than done....

He is my little boy, you know!

Ok, we're back! Did you miss us?

It's been a long, hot, crazy summer and I'm definitely looking forward to the more normal routines of Fall! 

Since co-op doesn't start until sometime after Labor Day, we have been working a pared down school load.  Cameron is working on math, phonics, handwriting, reading, spelling and a character unit study along with religion.  Isaac is working on fine motor skills such as cutting, coloring, and pasting.  He's been using both hands so he still hasn't settled on whether he will be a lefty or a righty or even ambidextrous! 

This is Alex's senior year in high school!  Almost 3 down! Two to go!  He has decided not to play football this year and is helping start a drumline for his school.  Zachary is still at TSTC.  He has changed his major from Computer Networking and security to Digital Media Production.  I'm hearing rumors that he's thinking Air Force as well.....!  Kyra is finally back in the states! She is stationed in Ridgecrest, California at China Lake Naval Weapons Center.  Basically the middle of nowhere!  But at least it's U.S. nowhere!  She will actually get to come home for the Labor Day weekend and we are all looking forward to that!  It sure is a lot cheaper to fly someone to and from California than it is to fly them to and from Japan!

Co-op this year will be very different from the last several years. Instead of just doing one or two subjects, they will be doing several different subjects: Science (Zoology 3), Latin, P.E., English, Literature Study, Writing, Geography, Art and some history (the majority of history will be done here at home).  They will also be working on some memorization.  Cameron will also be taking choir at church.  So it will definitely be an interesting year!

Ok, gotta run...duty (and love) calls.....

I find it interesting that when someplace like New York experiences a couple of 90 degree days in a row, it's all over the news. Yet when some place like Houston (4th largest city in the nation) goes for 50 straight days with no rain and almost as many days in the 100's it's barely a blip on the screen.  What's up with that?  We haven't enjoyed any outside time, really, this summer because of this heat and humidity! 

Xavier is off in Florida again.  I know he's tired of living out of suitcases this summer and it doesn't look to be ending anytime soon.  I can't keep up with all the laundry these days and my bedroom and the boys bedroom need complete overhauls. 

Still in the waiting mode for my homeschooling stuff and it is driving me up a wall, but I'm working on my virtue of patience.  I'll just have to start the boys off with what I have so far in 19 more days!  Cameron has 2 weeks of VBS coming up and Isaac has 1.  There was a possibility of them doing 3 VBS but the third would be the week we start school and the evening session won't take Isaac so we won't be doing that one. Then school begins!  I'm really hoping this heat breaks soon.  Our hottest month of the year is August and we haven't even gotten there yet!!

I hope this finds everyone staying cool and hydrated!!

Both of the boys are loving The Hobbit!  They ask for me to read a chapter to them several times a day.  We were at a Youth conference this weekend and we spent most of our time either in the pool or laying around the hotel room (air conditioned!) reading and listening to the Hobbit.  I'm so glad Cameron has enjoyed this book so far and even Isaac is learning to sit still and listen.
The boys had their well checkups today and passed with flying colors.  These kids tend to be so healthy it's scary sometimes!  Tonight is the last official swim meet for Cameron.  Later in the week he'll have prelims and then finals if he makes it that far.
We are still having no rain and record breaking heat here in Houston but the weathermen are tormenting us with the thought that rain might finally be on the way sometime this weekend.

Stay cool my friends, stay cool!

For the last several months, it has been extremely hot in Texas.  A high pressure dome over Louisiana has kept us in sweltering heat with little to no measurable rainfall in our area since April/May.  Our average rainfall for May is 5.15 inches.....we received 0.38 inches.  Our average rainfall for June/July is 6.45 inches....as of July 9 we have received only 1.75 inches. The temperatures for June and July have been almost entirely over 95 degrees every day with at least 11 days over 100 degrees with a high humidity.  We have been under heat advisories for many days now.  Our heat index's have hovered between 103 and 110.  Most of the state is under some kind of water conservation plan and burn ban.  Here in Texas most people are used to hot days (actually summer seems to last about 9 months of the year here) but nothing like this.  Animals of all kinds are looking for water.
This, my friends is a very dangerous heat.  Last weekend we went to San Antonio for the 4th of July weekend.  It was almost unbearably hot!  Cars were breaking down due to heat.  There is nothing fun about this heat and we are learning to take extra measures to keep ourselves and our children safe.  My husband tolerates heat much better than I do.  I also sunburn in the shade with SPF 50 on. No kidding. 

Several months ago, we purchased a Wii for our family.  We have invested in some games because the entire family has been enjoying it and we have needed some break from the heat.  We've been playing it in the evening (we are supposed to limit our electricity use between 3 and 7pm due to the stress on the power grid).  During the daytime we have kept all the lights off in the house and try to keep things low key. We've been reading The Hobbit and indulging in afternoon siestas (naps). We have a teen that is highly allergic to mold and mildew and our allergist informed us that the only way to really keep that stuff out of our house in this high humidity area was to keep the a/c set on 76 degrees (it really works-you can actually feel a difference in the humidity!).  That is our one big splurge.  Even the computers go off for most of the day to keep the temps down as much as possible.

When we went on our trip last weekend, we went on several adventures, one of which was going through a cave (Cascade Caverns).  It was nice and cool in the cave....the temperature was a steady 65 degrees year round!  Tonight, on the National Geographic Channel, Cameron and I watched a documentary about a cave in Mexico- Crystal Cave that is filled with giant crystals.  There, the temperatures are around 120 degrees Fahrenheit and over 80% humidity!  It is one of the deadliest environments on earth!  Spending just 15 minutes in that cave without special protection could kill humans.  Cameron and I were intrigued by what the scientists were saying about the heat.  After spending just 10 minutes in temperatures around 105 degrees Fahrenheit, your body starts to die-organs begin the dying process.  Even with special equipment, the scienctists could only be in the cave for 30 minutes at a time!  These scientists are studying this cave in conjunction with research with space travel and a potential Mars trip.  They are testing equipment here in this giant cave that they will use on other planets someday!

It has been such a long time since we have felt this heat for so many days.  Water mains are breaking, sidewalks and roads are buckling.  Our family is going through popsicles and water like crazy.  During this hot season, think about people who HAVE to work in this environment-especially our Sanitation Department workers.  How about providing them with cold, fresh water when they come by your home? We often give out popsicles, bananas, ice cold watermelon and frozen grapes.  We have nice big trees in our front yard that we invite them to rest under if they have a minute.  We do this every summer and they seem so grateful that someone notices and cares for them and the important job they do!

Lord, we need some nice, gentle rain and cooler temperatures!

Yesterday, we started reading "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien.  I really enjoy reading this book.  It is written so well that you can see it in your mind as you read it.  The first chapter is very funny with Gandalf and the thirteen dwarves making their first appearances.  Since the first chapter involves "Tea" and inviting over guests, we talked about hospitality and being prepared for guests.

Today Cameron wanted to invite over some friends he hasn't seen in a very long time but I told him that like in the book, guests would have to wait until he did his part by cleaning and preparing the house for guests.  We'll see if he really wants to have friends over to play. 

So far, Cameron really likes the book.  He told me he thought it would be boring but now he's looking forward to reading the next chapter!

This week, Cameron is at a Weapons Camp.  I'm not sure what all that entails except weapons (I am assuming their history and uses and how to make them), several boys and fun.  While he is away in the mornings I'm still doing some cleaning.  Cleaning is a good way for me to declutter things around the house.  That is something I need to do every single day!  For most of our early married years, finances were extremely tight.  Now that they aren't "AS" tight, I'm noticing my family's (including me) tendency towards not wanting to get rid of things.  This is something we will be working on!

I am also still contemplating the up coming homeschool year.  The co-op Cameron has been in for a couple of years is going to make some pretty big changes so Xavier and I have really been trying to discern which way to go with that.  I am finding that until the co-op question is answered, I cannot really finalize my own school year or even do lesson plans and for our family, the "official" school year begins in 4 weeks!

We are praying for rain here.  It is extremely dry.  We haven't had a measurable rainfall in what seems like forever.  We are under burn bans and extreme heat advisories.  This was the quietest 4th of July we've EVER experienced-in San Antonio we didn't hear even one single firecracker the entire weekend!  On the way home last night we passed a big forest fire on one side of the freeway and then a smaller fire on the other side of the freeway.  We are praying for the drought to end soon!

This past school year we did most of our schoolwork at the dining table.  While that is centrally located in the house and close to the bookshelves, the table is a little too tall for our comfort when working there most of the day.  The lighting in that room is also not the best for reading and writing without turning on the house lights (something we are trying to cut back on).  Also, this year Isaac will be doing more sit down at the table work and he needs a table that he fits at more comfortable for longer periods of time. 

While we have a breakfast table that we usually start the school year at (the breakfast room has the best lighting in the house I think), it is crowded in with the big dog crate (husky sized).  It also becomes the catch all for everyone it seems.  We went to IKEA this weekend just to look around and stumbled across two great finds.  A nice sized (but very inexpensive) coffee table and a breakfast table that seats 4 that is practically the perfect height and fit for what we need also at a very inexpensive price. 

So this weekend I spent cleaning off the breakfast room table while Xavier put together the new coffee table.  The dog crate will get moved to my room and the old table will be dismantled and set aside for when our daughter or son gets into their own apartment.

Summer is a time of anticipation for me.  Anticipation and reorganization.  I spend the summer time cleaning out the bookshelves and storing old curriculum, checking on supplies needed for the coming year, filling out lesson plans and so forth.  I truly anticipate the school year when my two boys and I are focused on learning about all the wonderful things around us!

Lately I have been noticing relationships and friendships.  With two of my children having reached "adulthood" and moving out and on (one in California and one in college) and my 3rd child hovering on the edge himself, being a senior and working, the relationships in my family are shifting.  I have noticed lately how blessed I am that even though these kids have the usual sibling rivalries, the "depth" of their relationships with each other and us as parents is quite deep. Zachary turned 20 yesterday-away at college.  Being the kind of kid we raised, he threw himself a party and bbq'd for all of his friends.  He spent a week at least working on this, with many phone calls to dad about what to buy, how to prepare it and what to serve with it.    We talked to him several times on his birthday and he was thoroughly enjoying himself by entertaining and making others happy.  His siblings-one in California and one away at a Youth Conference made sure-without any prompting from mom or dad, to call him and wish him a Happy Birthday.  At one point, he and the 10 year old were even making plans on something for next year! Very specifically just the two of them! 
Kyra called to let us know she had driven to Los Angeles on Friday to visit a friend from Houston who happened to live there now. She made it there safely and called us several times to let us know what she was doing and letting us know she was safe in the (Michael Jackson) chaos that L.A. was going through.  She made it VERY clear that she wanted nothing to do with that!
Alex was at the Steubenville Youth Conference in Louisiana this weekend. I was fortunate to find out that they were doing a live internet stream of the event.  We pretty much kept it on all weekend and even caught a glimpse of our son's group at one point.  He always has such an awesome experience there and at AYC (Archdiocesan Youth Conference).  He told us he couldn't wait to get home and share his experiences with us again.
Last night, I experienced an extreme feeling of blessedness as I listened to my 10 year old and 4 year old in their bed laughing, telling stories and talking to each other. Imagine-a 10 and 4 year old communicating without arguing or physical violence!

Devoloping strong familial relationships has been extremely important to our family.  We do have the usual sibling rivalries and issues but in the end, they all love each other and would go to the ends of the earth for each other.  The older kids have always been there for the younger ones.  It never ceases to amaze me-this love.....

Today at Mass, Father Gately started us out by having every one introduce themselves to the people around each other.  Even before Mass started, we witnessed many acts of kindness around us.  Then Father started talking about the Michael Jackson death.  He stressed many times that he "just didn't get it".  He said that he was amazed to see people who obviously never really knew Michael acting like they were his next of kin.  This was a man who yes was a good musician and dancer, but was surrounded by so many controversies in his lifetime.  A lifetime spent mostly secreted away from the public eye.  Durning this same short period, we also lost Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett.  Why were these people (celebrities) not mourned with the same fervor?  Farrah Fawcett, who's last days were spent with such courage and bravery fighting a little known cancer and bringing her battle to the world so that others might find some hope.  Barely a blip on the screen compared to the Michael Jackson chaos. 
Father said he wondered if we as a society have so isolated ourselves with "things" and kept distances between and  in our family and friend relationships, that we almost automatically "latch on" to these big named celebrities.  What the world had with Michael Jackson was NOT an intimate relationship. For the vast majority of the world it was not even an acquaintence relationship.
Today's reading spoke of the woman who touched Jesus garment as he was on the way to Jarius house to cure his daughter.  Jesus knew instantly when he was touched and stopped-even in the midst of this crisis, to turn and ask "who touched me"-he wanted a true face-to-face relationship with this person.  He wanted to tell her to her face that her faith had healed her! 
Jesus (the biggest celebrity of all as far as I'm concerned) wants to have that face-to-face relationship with each of us-no matter how big the crowd is, he WILL find us! THAT is the kind of relationship we ought to have with others....are we willing to follow Jesus example and bring that relationship to others around us?  I surely hope so.

Today the word "DISCIPLINE"  has been running through my head and heart.  I really didn't  realize how important this word was on so many different levels.

Today at swim practice, one of Cameron's friends was not being very cooperative with his mother about going to practice.  She (the mother) called it a "tantrum" but what I saw was outright willful disobedience.  This behavior also carried over onto the way this boy acknowledged his coach.  His mother grounded him (the LEAST of what I would have done) but as we were leaving the parking lot this boy stopped my car and asked if Cameron could come over and play.  I do not think his mother knew he was going to ask that and I really think he was oblivious to the fact that I had witnessed the entire "interchange" between him, his mother and his coach.  I told him no and we left.  On the ride home I asked Cameron what he thought would have happened to him if he had acted the way his friend had.  Cameron said grounding immediately, then he said he would probably get some corporal punishment (he was correct).  We talked about disobedience, defiance and discipline.

While we all know about the words disobedience and defiance, the word "discipline" has some more of a mysterious meaning.  I looked it up in the dictionary and this is what I found.

Discipline:
1. training to ensure proper behavior: the practice or methods of teaching and enforcing acceptable patterns of behavior.

In parenting, it is my obligation as a parent to teach my children and enforcing acceptable patterns of behavior!  My children know explicitly which types of behavior are acceptable and which are not.  Acting on bad behavior will bring an immediate response from me or my husband to correct and enforce acceptable behavior.  I would also hope that any other responsible parent or adult would do the same for my children if I was not around!  If we as parents do not "discipline" our children and teach and enforce acceptable behavior then we can not complain when they begin acting the way the "world" would rather they act!

2. order and control: a controlled and orderly state, especially in a class of schoolchildren.

Ok, this one has always been very obvious to me.  It flat out astounds me to read or hear about or even witness for myself the way that some children behave even in group or classroom environment!  Modern day schoolrooms in public schools deal with this daily.  In my home school environment I expect a heavy dose of order and control to be followed every day.  Personally that is how I am anyways.  Don't get me wrong....a little controlled chaos is fun and even liberating at times but it has it's place, most definitely!  There are things I expect my children to do in their daily schoolwork.  I do not give in to whining or shirking schoolwork (or chores for that matter).  My children are also expected to behave in a disciplined way when they are under the tutelage of others, for example: museum classes, co-ops,  swim team, church classes.  I am not saying I expect them to be perfect, but I am saying certain disciplines and behaviors are non-negotiable.  I am also of the mind that less than acceptable behaviors need to be corrected immediately-not hours later.....I need to be a parent whether or not I'm around "others" or not!

3. calm controlled behavior: the ability to behave in a controlled and calm way even in a difficult or stressful situation.

When my children don't get their way or when they are upset about something, I expect them to still behave in a controlled and calm way.  My oldest son recently sent me a video of a teenage boy throwing a temper tantrum because his mother closed his "World of Warcraft" account.  A sibling of the boy left a video camera in the room to record the reaction when the son was informed of that.  I have to say my chin was on the floor.  I can understand a 4 or 5 year old throwing this kind of tantrum but not an obviously older teen.  This yelling, screaming, ripping his clothes off, tearing his room apart and attempting to bodily harm himself went on for what seemed like half an hour!  Not once did any adult try to put an end to it!  Boy, I can tell you what would have happened after only about 30 seconds of that behavior in our house!  My son would have been crying but it would have been from some serious corporal punishment!  The bible says "spare the rod, spoil the child"!  I have to say that in 22 years of parenting, we have only seen this behavior once or twice and never ever more than once in the same child!  Our children learn from early on how to voice their frustrations and anger in as calm and controlled way as they are able!

4. conscious control over lifestyle: mental self-control used in directing or changing behavior, learning something, or training for something.

 Anyone who is an athlete knows that becoming good at your sport involves massive amounts of "discipline"!  I see kids all the time at swim practice that only give a half-hearted effort, but then these same kids cry and whine when they don't place or are disqualified because of their poor style.  Xavier and I have always told our kids that nothing takes the place of hard work and practice...especially in something like sports.  We also teach our kids that committment is vitally important, especially to something like a team sport!  Yes, getting up early to go to swim practice during the summer is hard, but it is part of the "discipline" required in order to perform well on an athletic level.  When I signed Cameron up for swim team, my only goal for him at the time was to become a stronger swimmer-develop more stamina (at the time, he could not swim an entire length of the pool without stopping!).  With lots of hard work and practice, he is swimming wonderfully and is learning how to swim correctly and on a competitive level.  As of now, he is undefeated in the 9-10 year old boys Backstroke bracket!  While he has great Freestyle form, he lacks the speed to compete in that event on an individual basis-but as a Freestyle relay team they are 1st or 2nd placers every time!  Cameron REALLY doesn't like the Butterfly, but he is good enough in that to swim comptetively and he has placed 2 out of the 3 times he has swam it!  All of our children know that to be good at something requires hard work and discipline.  That counts for work, sports, hobbies or crafts, or even friendships and relationships!

5. (education) activity or subject: a subject or field of activity, e.g. an academic subject.

Education takes "discipline".  Some subjects require more discipline than others, depending on the skills or gifts one has.  I am NOT mathematically inclined....at.....all!  My husband and several of my children can do math in their heads.  NOT ME!  Math is something I have to work HARD at!  On the other hand, writing, reading, and spelling come to me almost effortlessly, while my husband and some of my children struggle with those things daily!  I know that if I want my son, Cameron, to be better at math, then we work on math year round.  If I want my children to be good readers then they must read on a daily basis.  We found out this year that working year round in math with Cameron made all the difference in the world!  Unfortunately, he is surrounded by other kids who "take a break" from education during the summer months (which make work beautifully for them and their families) so creating in him the discipline to keep working is pretty hard for him.  He is rewarded by this extra effort with higher scores on his testing that we do each year.  Now I'm not saying we stick his nose in the mathbook all summer, but we do try to incorporate some math activities weekly if not daily, in the form of worksheets and games and daily life skills year round.

6. punishment: punishment designed to teach somebody obedience.
 
Discipline can also mean punishment designed to teach obedience.    This is pretty much self explanitory.  I do want to mention that in our family we talk more about discipline than punishment.  We don't have any problems "disciplining" our children when they misbehave!  Most of this takes place while our children are younger.  Waiting until your children are teenagers and hit that rebellious stage is almost a guarranteed recipe for disaster!  Correcting unacceptable behaviors and disciplining our children when they are younger means that they grow up knowing what is acceptable and expected.....and what is not.  For our family, this has meant an easier time (definitely not perfect or conflict free) dealing with the children as they got older.  So consequently when my almost 20 year old son runs across a "youtube" video of a teenager throwing a temper tantrum over a video game, he sends me the link and wants to know where the parents are in all of this and how is that boy allowed to "get away" with that, and doesn't he know how "childish" that makes him!  The avenues of good productive discussion are openen much easier by instilling in our children good discipline!  I should also mention that as each child is different and learns and responds differently, so too should the discipline be tailored to each child.  If our oldest (and only daughter) got into trouble, all it took was an upraised eyebrow or being sent to her room to bring her to tears and quickly bring about the accepted behavior.  My oldest son on the other hand has to learn things the hard way.  You've maybe heard that some people have to hit rock bottom before they can go up? Well that would be our oldest.  You could take away everything but the skin on his body, and ground him till the Lord returns, but it wouldn't make a dent.  Sit the same child down and show him something written down or have a good discussion with him and he would be tearful and contrite shortly thereafter.  Our third child is a child of worldly things and desires physical affirmation. He will debate the issue till the cows come home and yelling at him is like yelling at a stone wall.  Take away the car, cellphone, weekend activities, friends over and he is instantly correcting his behavior.  Our two youngest are really learning discipline from their older siblings and seeing what's expected of them.  Our fourth child is leaning towards behaving like our oldest, while our 5th child is leaning towards our 2nd and 3rd child in behavior.   So you can see, the "discipline" that works for our oldest will definitely be different that what works for our youngest!

7. (christianity) church rules: the system of rules used in a religious denomination or order.

Now THIS one was a surprise to me....not because I didn't already know it, but because I find it a rare occasion for the secular world to acknowledge a definition that pertains to "religion"!  Over the last 4 years or so, I have been intrigued by religious "orders" and the "disciplines" they use to promote orderliness, brotherhood and growth.  The Benedictine Rule has been intertwinning itself with my life for all of these 4 years.  One of my favorite books and models for my home is called "A Mother's Rule of Life" and it promotes following a RULE within your own home.  St. Benedict wrote a book of "precepts" or rules for monks living communally (think family) under the authority of an abbot (think parent).  During the 1500 years of its existence, it has become the leading guide in Western Christianity for monastic living in community for many Catholic Orders, and in Orthodoxy  (since the Great Schism) and in the Anglican Church (since the time of the Reformation).  The spirit of St. Benedict's Rule is summed up in the motto "Peace, Prayer and Work".  I find that motto a perfect model for my family to follow!  St. Benedict's Rule was written as a guide for individual, autonomous communities (think families!). This rule is quite lengthy but covers most everything including service in the kitchen by ALL monks in turn, how to treat fellow brothers; care of the sick, old and young.  If you have never heard of or read about the Benedictine Rule (which also prescribes reading aloud during meals.....as opposed to watching tv as most families do today), then I humbly implore you to search it out!


These are only definitions of the word "discipline" as a noun, but I am willing to bet you get the point without me having to go any further! So without further ado, I'll step off my soapbox on the subject of having and administering "discipline".  And please note that if you ever happen to meet my children when I am not around and they are exhibiting unacceptable behavior, I hope you will take it upon yourself to give them the "discipline" they need in order to grow and learn how to live their Christian values!

Tomorrow is celebrated around the country as "Father's Day".  Around the country families will be firing up the grill, baking cakes, wrapping tacky ties and giving Father his due.
Fathers are supposed to be "heads of the households".  Even in biblical times it was so.  We even know God as "God the Father"...
I have to say I have been blessed with many "fathers" in my life so far.  My heavenly Father, of course.  My earthly father, Charles Boyd Neal, was a great "human" man.  As all humans do, he had many faults, but to me, the goodness in his nature always shone through.  From this man I received my love of books, reading in general, good science fiction, big breakfasts, nature/camping, love of animals and a good sense of humor.  My father was a Baptist minister and he was an awesome minister.  His was the first voice that I ever heard speak with outrage over the horror of abortion.  My dad was "pro-life" before being such was  accepted.  He was passionate about the gift of life-this man who wanted a son but was graced with 4 daughters instead and loved each and every one of us.    Thoughts of my dad evoke memories of black cherry pipe tobacco, camping trips, old maps, great stories and the love of life.  He was not a small man...standing 6'4" and was the smallest of 3 sons.  Into my adulthood life I can't remember ever being able to fully wrap my arms around this towering man-this gentle giant.
My father died suddenly when I was pregnant with my 3rd child.  He never lived to see the awesome young men his 6 grandsons are becoming.  In this generation, the boys out number the girls!  Being the oldest child when a parent passes on is a huge burden sometimes.  I miss this man dearly!  I know he is looking down on us from heaven but there will always be a part of me that so desparately wants to try and wrap my arms around him!  My beautiful children will never know this great man and for that my heart truly mourns.  Losing a parent is not something that most people understand.  But once you do, you never ever forget.  I love my daddy so very much!

After my father passed away, my father-in-law stepped up to the plate.  He was always a great male role model and I am SO blessed to have a husband who wants nothing more than to be just like HIS daddy!  Mr. Jimenez has always been there to support our family in any way, yet he never sticks his nose into things...he lets us experience life with all it's ups and downs.  My sons will always have a great role model in this awesome, spiritual, loving man!

My mother remarried a man named Wes Thompson.  We always kidded her because Wes is several years younger than my mom.  Fortunately, God knew what he was doing when he brought those two together.  We told Wes to run....getting mixed up in this crazy family has its risks, you know, but he stayed firm.  We dutifully informed him....."no backsies"!  He has been a rock for my mom and he has been a great "poppi" for my children.  He is really the only grandfather they will ever know on my side of the family.  He does the things my dad would have done, takes the kids fishing, hunting, building tree swings, camping, and cooking with them.  He and my mom have been there for every major and minor event in our lives!  I am truly blessed to call this man my step dad!

We were at a funeral this past week and I got to visit my own grandfather's grave.  Recently I have been able to get reacquainted with my cousins and family on my fathers side.  I realized that with both of my parents being around the youngest in their respective families, I never really got to know my grandfathers on either side.  Oh, I have faint memories of them but very very few.  Having pictures helps so much.  My sisters on the other hand, probably have no memory of their grandfathers at all.  That is difficult to imagine for me.

We live in a time now where fathers seem to be "optional".  I have noticed quite a bit lately that families with 2 parents-a mother AND a father, seem almost to be a dying breed.  When my husband and I attended some parent meetings at the local public schools for one of our sons, the staff and teachers were completely dumbfounded and astonished that our son had 2 parents-a mother and father that actually were married and lived together in the same house AND that both of those parents would be interested enough in their son's well-being and education to show up for a parent teacher meeting.  This was in a school of over 5000 students! Imagine, so many kids in the world today with no good fatherly influence in their lives!  And why do people wonder why society as a whole has ended up in the landfill of life! 

On this Father's Day, I want to acknowledge all the Fathers who have seen me through life!  I am truly blessed beyond measure!

As I might have mentioned in my earlier blog entry, my Aunt Opal (around 87 years of age..) passed away on Saturday.  Sunday we spent most of the day working in the yard and carting kids around.  Monday was a Swim Meet.  It was unbearably hot but we withstood it until the sun went down.  Cameron did well at that meet, coming home with a 1st place in Backstroke, a 3rd place in Butterfly and a participation ribbon in the Medly relay (they finished almost an entire length of the pool in first place but alas...one of the team members swam the wrong stroke....what can we say...it happens!). Tuesday was swim meet practice.  We have been having SUCH a hard time getting Cameron's swim cap on that I finally put my foot down and took him to get a haircut.  The stylist recognized right away that he had been swimming a lot....his hair was the texture of brittle straw!  She was able to give him a haircut that he and I both approved of!  She also gave us some special shampoo and conditioner for people like him who swim a lot.  After just 2 applications there was SUCH a noticeable difference!!!  I also treated Cameron to the full deal...cut, shampoo, massage chair, hot towel over the face and style.  He really enjoyed it and felt really special!  Who knows, he may actually look forward to haircuts in the future....
While waiting for my guy I mulled over the fact that I really didn't have anything to wear to the funeral that would look appropriate and be functional in 100 degree weather for any length of time.  After the haircut, the boys went with me to search out something...If you know me, you know I HATE clothes shopping only slightly more than clothes shopping with boys in tow.  Imagine my surprise to find not one...not 2....but 3...count them 3 appropriate outfits that fit like a charm!  Next blessing? They were all within my budget!  I thought I would also take a chance and look for a pair of shoes.  Stores like this rarely have shoes that fit and are affordable. Again I was blessed with a very nice pair of sandals that went perfectly with 2 of the 3 outfits AND fit like a dream and were again in my price range!  While walking from the fitting rooms to the front of the store to pay, we were detoured down a side aisle where Cameron remarked in amazement.."mom, aren't those the angels you collect?"...and sure enough there were several of the Foundations angels that I have collected and given as gifts over the years!  They were marked down drastically and my dear husband told me to take them!  Imagine how blessed and surprised I felt when I noticed that 3 of the angels carried part of the Beatitudes on them.....exactly what our Theme for the next school year will be!!!!
After a quick lunch and some cleaning, Xavier came home and we loaded up to take off for the funeral.  We knew we were going to miss the viewing so Xavier suggested we stop to eat on the way.  At the restaurant, Isaac's food took a little long to cook.  Next blessing came in the form of the Manager of the restaurant giving us certificates for 4 complete meals for free on our next visit!
At the funeral the next day, we got to see many aunts and cousins that we haven't seen in many years.  It was nice to catch up on lives and celebrate my wonderful Aunt Opal and her life!  God blessed us with some nice cloud cover for the graveside service.  I also discovered that many of my Uncles and my grandfather were active servicemen in both WWI and WWII! It was nice to visit the family plot.  I hadn't visited my Grandparents graves in many many years!
After a wonderful lunch we headed home and passed on the way a local vineyard and winery that I've always wanted to stop at.  Xavier said why not and we stopped to explore.  I wanted to bring home some wine and decided to do the wine tasting with my mom.  The gentleman who helped us was kind and pleasant.  We were only going to taste 4 wines but ended up tasting about 10 or so!  Upon hearing that my husband doesn't drink, this wonderful salesperson immediately turned and poured Xavier a tall glass of sparkling grape juice!  My mom and I decided to join their VIP club which would give us discounts and some access to special events at the vineyard.  Our helpful gentleman waived our tasting fees helped us sign up and then immediately applied our discounts to our purchases!  This vineyard is quite close to my parents home so I know they will really enjoy the membership-my step-dad will definitely enjoy some of the cooking classes!
After such a crazy couple of days, we were then blessed with a nice, quiet ride home through some beautiful countryside.

I think some people might have been put off by the fact that we werent' all teary-eyed about this funeral.  We chose instead to look at the life of a great woman who had lived a long life even when faced with many physical ailments.  She of all people would have wanted us to be happy!  We chose to look at all the Blessings God bestowed on us during this time. 

Well, I'm stopping by to update this blog.  I'm not sure anyone but me reads it these days but at least it gives me a place to put down my "mental notes".

Around here things never stop...they just switch gears and tracks occasionally.  As of this writing, Cameron is now 10, Alex is now 17 and Zachary will be 20 in a week or so.  They grow up way too fast if you ask me!

Speaking of time passing quickly, someone mentioned in passing that they observed that time seemed to move more quickly as they got older...not enough hours in the day so to speak.  I mulled that over for a while as it is something I've often noticed over the course of my lifetime.  I have come to the conclusion-in my own unasked for opinion-that time is a constant-it never changes speeds.  However! It is what we fill that time with and how we use it that determines how the speed of time is observed.  For example, when we were children, time seemed to move oh so slowly!  Christmas and birthdays took forever to get here, not to mention summer vacation from school.  Now notice the events themselves were over way too soon!  Flash forward ??? years to "adulthood".  We fill our daily lives with so much "stuff", running here and there, working very hard to fill every moment of every day with activities! Even just time spent in the car driving from point A to points B and beyond are filled with movies, music, schoolwork on c/d and other things.  Our minds seem to have a much harder time "filing away" all these events and memories and activities!  I personally have whizzed through a 24 hour day filled with activities and then as evening sets in have thought to myself "where has the day gone?"...or "did I get anything done" or "there's just so much more left to do"!  The "passing of time" has "passed" us by!  I thought about this subject again this weekend.  We installed some solar lights in the front yard.  To be honest, we've tried these contraptions before but they never seemed to work right and with a front yard full of running kids and pets, they soon became casualties of life.  Well, being down to 3 kids and 2 dogs and with the vast majority of our neighborhood children grown and off to college and beyond, we figured we'd give these lights another chance.  We put them in on Saturday in the morning, then we were off to a baptism, then Mass, then a reception.  On the way home we stopped by Target for a few items.  I must say we were pleasantly surprised to drive up and see all 12 solar lights lit up!  Alex got home from work around 1:30am the next morning and he informed us they were STILL on!  So last night, after a very busy day of yardwork and carting teens to activities and picking up one who spent the night somewhere else, I grabbed a glass of wine and some Double Stuff oreo cookies and planted myself in a chair outside to just sit, enjoy the evening sounds and watch those lights come on!  The 4 year old joined me and we just sat and listened to birds and watched each light come on in it's own time.  Guess what? Time slowed down considerably!  After a while the little guy went in and a few minutes later one of our neighborhood "adopted" boys who was home from college joined me with his little brother.  We sat there catching up and filling each other in on our lives and time stayed slow!  To just sit there and enjoy the moment wasn't boring or mundane.  I was able to sit and enjoy the work my family had done.  I noticed several pairs of cardinals and several pairs of blue jays.  There was also the occasional mockingbird and the most adorable finch (wish I'd had some 'noculars to see it up close!).  We saw herons and mallard ducks flying overhead. It was quite enjoyable!
In the past I have strived to fill each waking moment of summer with "stuff".  This year, I am taking a little bit more laid back approach.  I am trying not to fill our schedules up with activities.  I put all kinds of things on my calendar but almost each one of them is "optional".  The boys have enjoyed playing video games (imagine that...my 17 year old and 4 year old playing video games together...), they've played outside with each other and the dogs.  My 10 year old will complain that I make him do "worksheets".  I DO have my limits and think it is important to keep the mind fresh and sharp!

On another note, my family has been prayerfully discerning some tough changes both at home and in the workplace.  We are finding out that what will work for us and where we feel God is leading us for at least a period of time is definitely NOT a popular idea.  Workplace changes are ones even I struggle with but I know God has a purpose and a plan-this is probably one of those times I need to shut up and pay attention to the Big Guy. 

As for the kids, Alex has a job (whoo hoo),  for him (and us) this is a great use of his time.  He is one of those boys that if he's left to his own devices and gets bored...he will make his own excitment.  His job and some retreats will definitely keep him busy in a good way this summer!  Cameron has enjoyed being on the swim team so far.  He is not too happy with the "early " practices (hello? he practices from 9 to 10am....half the morning is gone by then!) but he is doing good at the swim meets.  He also enjoyed Band Camp and is now contemplating playing either the tuba or the flute.....or both.  Isaac is just enjoying life as usual.  Zach is taking summer sessions at college and is doing some DJ'ing on the side to get some extra cash.  Kyra is getting settled in California and is getting her own apartment in July-her first real home on her own-until now she has been living on base.  Xavier is still travelling-he was in California for 2 weeks and will be leaving for Florida in a week or so.  I am working on curriculum and lesson plans a little at a time-no big rush.  There are plenty of activities here at home for me (some that have been neglected for too long).  So in the scheme of things, I don't see this family getting bored, even with our pared back schedules.  I guess we'll just learn to enjoy each other more because time if fleeting and how you use it is very important!

Here are some things going on in my life this week:

Spiritual: This week I am trying to be more aware of the blessings God has sent my way!

Reading: This week I am reading "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" by Susan Vreeland.  I am also reading "101 Foods That Could Save Your Life" by David Grotto, RD, LDN

Mealtime: We've been indulging our Kyra in many of her culinary wishes this week: Crawfish, homemade tacos and such.

Homeschool: This week, Cameron finished up his Museum classes.  He also received his test scores back and we are very proud of him and how he did on the test.  He is still working on co-op activities and math.  We'll start our  "The Hobbit" book study on June 1.

Home Management: This week, I am working on paper clutter! 

Prayer: Keep working on the Angelus with the children. I was very proud of them at the Museum yesterday when they insisted on praying the Angelus (quietly amongst ourselves) at our picnic during lunch!

Personal: Substitute one cup of tea for one cup of coffee each day and work harder on my 8 glasses of water.  Get out of the house at least 30 minutes each day and try to get the dogs out more on their leashes. *Still working on this one...*

Partner: One evening this week, try to go out with my husband, either to a movie or just to a local shop for a treat and some couple time.

Parent:  Work on the discipline strategy we are incorporating into our family life.  Read a minimum of 30 minutes each day to the children.

Provider: Work on menu's and make a re-stocking list for pantry and freezers.  Continue the laundry battle.  Make my bed EACH day.  Make time for my needlework. Finish up rosary commitments.

Today we are anxiously awaiting Zach to come home for a short break!  Cameron has swim team today.  His choir class which falls on Wednesday seems to be a nice break for him and he really enjoys it!  Swimming is a different story because it is a lot of hard work right now (what? swimming isn't all fun and games?) but he is already getting stronger.  His main thing is to work on technique.  I think once he gets that down he'll be doing just grand!  I signed him up for an Introduction to Band Camp that is in early June-right after Kyra leaves, so he'll have something to look forward to!

Kyra gets home Saturday!  We have waited for this day for SOOOOO long!  We have so much planned to do and we want to make sure she gets to do all the things she misses (Astros games!!!).  Zach will be here for about a week so we'll have some great time with all the kiddos together.  Later in the month we'll make a roadtrip to the Valley to see Xavier's family and celebrate a graduation.

It looks to be a GREAT Mother's Day weekend!!!!!

Here are some things going on in my life this week:

Spiritual: I am saying yes to God when He shows me His will for me and am working hard to no argue with Him.  I'm reading about a different saint everyday and hoping to bring the virtues they exhibited into my own life.

Reading: I am finishing up the book "Finding Sanctuary".  I hope to pass this book on to one of my sisters as a belated birthday present-it is truly a little gem!  I am also finishing up "A Haystack full of Needles" by Alice Gunther.

Mealtime: Tonight we are hoping to take the kids to a pizza parlor for dinner.  Tomorrow we will be taking dinner to a friends house.  Wednesday, I will be creative with chicken.  Thursday will probably be a sandwich night.  Friday will be centered on some type of delicious seafood.  Saturday will be WingStop with our Kyra! Sunday will involve some type of beef.

Homeschool: This week, Cameron will focus on completing all science schoolwork.  Isaac will work on fine motor skills.  I will work on organizing homeschool supplies.

Home Management: This week, I will work on getting the house presentable and continue purging bedrooms.  So far, I have 4 bags of things to donate to people in need.  We'll also be dropping off recyclables and do a little gardening in the front yard. 

Prayer: Keep working on the Angelus with the children.

Personal: Substitute one cup of tea for one cup of coffee each day and work harder on my 8 glasses of water.  Get out of the house at least 30 minutes each day and try to get the dogs out more on their leashes.

Partner: One evening this week, try to go out with my husband, either to a movie or just to a local shop for a treat and some couple time.

Parent: Be more supportive of each of the children in one area of their lives each day.  Look into swim team for Cameron. Work on the discipline strategy we are incorporating into our family life.  Read a minimum of 30 minutes each day to the children.

Provider: Work on menu's and make a re-stocking list for pantry and freezers.  Continue the laundry battle.  Make my bed EACH day.  Make time for my needlework.